


Impulse & Impertinence

by orphan_account



Category: Kingsman: The Secret Service (2015), Pride and Prejudice (1995)
Genre: Alternate Universe, M/M, Pining, slow-burn
Language: English
Status: Completed
Published: 2015-03-22
Updated: 2015-03-22
Packaged: 2018-03-19 03:01:54
Rating: Teen And Up Audiences
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 1
Words: 1,748
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/3593895
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/orphan_account/pseuds/orphan_account
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Inspired by a tumblr-post (by forsciencejohn) asking for a fic in which Mr. Darcy goes to the Meryton assembly and meets a very impertinent young man (Gary 'Eggsy' Unwin aka James Bennet).</p>
            </blockquote>





	Impulse & Impertinence

**Author's Note:**

> So I was not going to write a "Kingsman"-fic ... but when I read the prompt on tumblr (by forsciencejohn) about a Pride&Prejudice-AU where Eggsy is one of the Bennet siblings, I decided to go for it. I haven't written a lot of fanfiction up to now, but I fell in love with "Kingsman" and I simply couldn't resist. Hope you like it.

Darcy had been ill-humoured all day. First, the rain had prevented him from riding out and then he had unwittingly promised to accompany Bingley and his sisters to the Meryton assembly. His friend insisted that this would help lighten Darcy's mood. However, an evening of dancing and idle conversation at a country assembly was very unlikely to bring him out of his torpor - on the contrary.

The same morning, he had received a letter from Georgiana and read her news with a heavy heart. She was staying with the Earl of Matlock because Darcy had believed that it was best for her to recover among people who knew nothing about the unfortunate events of the summer. But she remained indifferent to the distractions of London and even to the comfort provided by family and friends. And Bingley's solicitude and good humour left Darcy similarly unaffected. In his current state, it was probably safest for him not to go out into society at all. But Bingley was trying so very hard to be of use to his friend and the least Darcy could do, as his guest, was to be thankful for his efforts. Eventually he had found himself too weary to argue and accepted the invitation.

Although only two and twenty, Bingley was impatient to find a bride. At a dance, he was never in want of a partner. All the young ladies unfailingly decided that he was the most amiable man they had ever met. And Bingley in turn reciprocated by falling in love with such speediness that Darcy could never begin to understand what exactly it was that had piqued his interest in the first place. Unfortunately, this implied that he fell out of love just as easily and without always giving the lady in question fair warning about his change of heart.

Darcy was much more guarded about his feelings. Young ladies were only too eager to approach him once they learned who he was. Contrary to his friend, he was in no hurry to make his choice. Caroline Bingley had taken it into her head that Darcy would choose her in the end. Their tempers were ill-matched and such a marriage held no advantages for Darcy, but at times he did consider offering for her. One day, he would have to offer for somebody and this would at least settle the matter.

 

* * *

 

When the party from Netherfield walked into the room, every head turned in their direction. As usual, Bingley took no notice - he was determined to think everyone charming and agreeable, while Darcy braced himself for what was to come. He cast one look around the room and knew that this evening would be insupportable. This in turn would make _him_ insupportable and he would then have to spend the remainder of their stay in Hertfordshire trying to make amends.

Darcy danced one set with Caroline Bingley, then he retired next to the mantelpiece and made every effort to appear unapproachable. The only person who dared approach him after all was Bingley, who came to introduce the young lady he had already danced three sets with. Her name was Jane Bennet and her hair and eyes were the same colour as Bingley's. She was without question the handsomest woman in the room and, if nothing else, they made a pretty picture. Bingley had chosen wisely. However, Darcy could not think of one single thing to say to her. She did not seem to mind, content to bestow her lovely smiles on her partner while he made conversation.

"Miss Bennet tells me that she has three sisters. Isn't it charming?"

As if on cue, three young ladies, who were no doubt the sisters in question, flocked towards their party. They were followed by their mother who wasted no time in introducing them to the two eligible gentlemen. One had flushed cheeks from having danced every set; one was rather plain, but Darcy guessed her to be a kindred spirit: she looked as though she would much rather have stayed at home. The third one was not quite as pretty as her eldest sister, but she had fine eyes and did not blush when she greeted him and so he decided that he liked her best of all.

There was a son too, but he was nowhere to be found. His name was called and the flushed sister was sent away to fetch him. Darcy imagined him to be a young boy who undoubtedly grew up without a care in the world. 

"Now, now, Mr. Darcy," Mrs. Bennet said, "why are you not dancing? Truly, there is no amusement like dancing and I can hardly believe that you have ever been in the company of so many handsome ladies before."

Inwardly Darcy begged to differ, but he could only just refrain from saying so out loud.

"If he is not dancing, Mama, it is because he is too handsome to dance with any of the ladies in the room. No, to dance with him is the kind of privilege a lady must earn."

Darcy turned around and wanted to be cross, but then his eyes fell on the man who had spoken these words.

"Ah, James, now there you are. We have been looking for you."

The missing brother was not a boy - in fact, he must be about Bingley's age. He smiled at Darcy, but his smile was not as guileless as Bingley's. His lips were twitching as if he meant to tease. He reached for Darcy's hand. The grip was firm and it caught Darcy off guard. He felt the colour rise to his cheeks.

"The things you say! What must Mr. Darcy think of you?"

Mrs. Bennet was contrite and hastened to formulate an apology, but James interrupted her.

"Do not worry, Mama. There is no reason to suppose that a man would object to hearing that he is handsome. All of you have done nothing but repeat just that over and over ever since Mr. Darcy set foot in Hertfordshire. At this dance alone, he must have heard you call him rich and handsome numerous times. And you think me impolitic if I dare say it to his face?"

Ordinarily Darcy would loathe to hear himself be spoken about in this manner, but in the young man's mouth the words took on a different meaning. It was as if for the first time these words meant anything at all.

"Mr. Darcy cannot help but notice that you are not dancing either, James," his sister with the fine eyes began, "what conclusions is he supposed to draw? Will he not think that by complimenting him you are merely trying to flatter yourself?"

"Oh, you see," James replied, "none of the young ladies will have me as a partner. I find that I have no inclination to ever make polite conversation, as you may have noticed - not even during a dance - and so I ask serious and troublesome questions in the hope that my partners will spar with me, but it only makes them roll their eyes and get out of step and we end up treading on eachother's toes."

Darcy returned his smile. Bingley shot him an astonished glance, but Darcy could not begin to worry about his friend now. The young man's eyes remained firmly fixed on him.

James Bennet was indeed handsome, almost to the point where it would have been safer for Darcy to look away. His jaw was square and his skin still a little tanned - he must have spent much of the summer out of doors. He was at the same time artless and quick-witted. And amiable. Darcy could not say what exactly gave him this impression, but he was sure that this young man was not ill-intentioned. His face was all mischief, but no spite. Keep me company then, he thought, if the ladies will not answer your questions, keep me company and I will try to answer them all.

 

* * *

 

"You were very animated this evening, Mr. Darcy," Caroline Bingley remarked when they were back at Netherfield, "almost exhilarated." Her mockery did not affect Darcy - in fact, it rather amused him to imagine how she would faint on the spot if she had only the slightest inkling of the thoughts that were running through his mind while she was prattling away.

"Country manners. I think they're charming," Bingley contributed and thought about his Jane. He was in such a good mood that he probably would even have declared the lady's mother and all her sisters wonderful company.

"Impertinent, rather," Caroline added.

Yes, impertinent. What an impertinent young man.

"I was very disappointed, Mr. Darcy, not to see you cut him down to size. The manner in which he spoke to you was ..."

She could not decide on the right word. Disarming, Darcy thought. Disarming is the word you are not looking for, Miss Bingley.

"As if he had no notion of who you were."

Or perhaps he knows exactly what I am. Perhaps James Bennet had taken the measure of his interlocutor at one glance. He must have provoked Darcy to assess his reaction and Darcy had let himself be caught red-handed. He had given the young man exactly what he wanted. He had coloured and hesitated and laughed at his wit, when he should have been dismissive and cold.

Darcy retired to his room soon after, feeling ill. This had happened to him before - not these last few years however - and each time, he had done everything in his power to put it out of his mind as quickly as possible. All people must have wishes that were better left unspoken.

He longed to see the young man's face again, that clear face with the eyes and the mouth that seemed to be mocking him and beckoning him at the same time. By now, he was no longer able to picture it clearly. They would meet again, if Darcy decided to stay on as Bingley's guest at Netherfield. His friend seemed taken with Miss Bennet and that meant that the two families would from now on be frequently in each other's company. Darcy had to see him again - if only once - in order to commit his features firmly to memory. Once he could be sure that he was not mistaken about James Bennet and James Bennet was not mistaken about him, he would thank Bingley for his hospitality and leave Hertfordshire as quickly as possible.

**Author's Note:**

> I might continue this if you like it. Any comments are greatly appreciated.


End file.
